Airplane



J. TANEYHILL.

AIRPLNE'.`

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 5,1919.

Patented Feb. 17, 1920Y 2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

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I. TANEYHILL.

l AIRPLANE. APPLICATION FILED FEB. 5.1919.

Patented Feb. 17, 1920.

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JOHN TANEYHILL, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

AIRPLAN E.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 17, 1920.

Application led February 5, 1919. Serial No. 275,073.

To ZZZ whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, JOHN TANEYHILL, a citizen of the United States, residing at the city of St. Louis and State of Missouri, have invented new and useful Airplanes, of

which the Vfollowing is a specification.

This invention relates to airplanes.

An object of the invention is to provide an airplane of novel construction equipped with devices and mechanism for maintaining more accurate and perfect control of the machine during flight and particularly when rising or when passing through air pockets, and the like.

Another object is to provide an airplane having the propeller in front and having a relatively small and short wing at the for ward end of the fuselage, and longer and wider wings of larger area-at the'rear end of the fuselage instead of the reverse construction employed in machines at present in use; and the wings are provided with ailerons for maintainingr lateral balance of the machine during flight.

Another object of the invention is to provide an airplane having the wings thereofprovided with ailerons for maintaining the lateral balance of the machine during flight, and novel mechanism for manipulating the ailerons.

Other objects will appear from the following description in which reference is made to the drawing illustrating an airplane embodying the principles of my invention, and inwhich- Figure 1 is a plan view of the airplane having a portion of one of the wings thereof broken away to disclose the mechanism for controlling and manipulating the ailerons and the rudder.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged plan view of the lever mechanism controlling the connections for manipulating the ailerons.

Fig. 4 is a rear end elevation thereof.

Fig. 5 is a side elevation thereof showing the levers in different positions.

Fig. 6 is a view partly in section, showing the' construction by which one of the levers is held in different adjusted positions.

Fi 7 is a diagrammatic plan view showing t e means by which the rudder is controlled.

Fig. 8 is a view of one of the controlling levers removed from its mountings.

Fig. 9 is an enlarged sectional view show- .the rear of the fuselage.

ing the construction by which the two levers are simultaneously controlled when either one of thelevers is operated.

The fuselage or body 1 has at its forward end a wing 2 which, as appears by reference to the drawing, is of relatively short and narrow dimensions and of relatively small surface area as compared with the wings at The propeller 3 is attached to a shaft 4 journaled in the fuselage and extending from the engine 5 beyond the forward end of the fuselage so that the propellers are appropriately supported in front of the wing 2. Ateach side of the fuselage an aileron 6 is pivotally supported in connection with the wing 2. A rod or arm 7 extends vertically through and is rigidly connected with each of the ailerons 6.

Near the rear end of the fuselage or body of the airplane is a wing 8 which, as appears by reference to the drawing, is of relatively long and wide dimensions and of relatively large surface area as compared with the wing 2 at the forward end of the fuselage. The wing 8, as shown, is at the lower side of the fuselage. Above the wing 8 a wing 9 of nearly similar dimensions and surface area is supported, being attached to appropriate supporting members 10. The rear portion of the wing 9 near each end thereof pivotally supports an aileron 11, and a rod or arm 12 extends vertically through and is rigidly connected with each of the ailerons 11. A

The forward end of the fuselage supports a rudder for controlling the horizontal movements of the airplane in flight. As shown, the rudder includes a wing 13 mounted in a vertical plane and pivot-ally supported in connection with a thin supporting element 14 rigidly connected with the fuselage by connecting elements 15.

In addition to the above novel features my invention further comprises mechanism for accurately controlling the' ailerons to maintain lateral balance of the machine during flight irrespective of air pockets, or eddies, or other conditions of the air through which the machine is flying; and for controlling the rudder in order to steer the machine in a horizontal direction. This me chanism includes connections from the ailerons and from the rudder and levers for manipulating the connections to control said parts.

As shown, a frame 16 issupported by the fuselage Yabove the wing 8 and a member 17 rocking ,movements is mounted iii-said frame and is capable of 'A "rod 18 passes Y through Vthe-member 17d-and at one side of Vthe said member 17 supports a lever'19.

The lever'19 at its upper end is provided with a handle andat it-s lower end, belowV the rod 18, is provided with an arcuate rack 20 which is concentric with the rod 18. `The rackl 201 meshes with a ypinion 21 revolubly supported on a projection 22 Vextending downwardly'from the 'member 17.` A wire 23v hasione end connected to the lever 19 above'the pivot rod 18 audits opposite end connected ito the upper end ofthe-j rod or.. arm; 7. A wire 211 has one end connected lto thelever 19 below vthe pivot member 18 and Itis apparent that asa result oflthis'con- 'l Ystructionmovement ofthe lever 1941i one direction will raise the rear edge ofk the aileron andmovemcnt ofthe lever19 in the .opposite direction will lower the rear edge ofthe aileron 6. with which said lever Y Y j y the rod 33, may be controlled in any desired 19 isfconnect-ed as described.

kOn the opposite side of thesupport 17 the pivot 18 supports a lever 26,-the same being pinned to therod 18 Vby. alpin 27. Thus manipulation of the lever 26 ina forward and rearward direction will roel; the rod 18.

Thel lever-26 is capable of being oscillated Y ner Side of the lever permitting such oscillation. VThe lower .end of the lever 26,V below the rodv 18', has an Varcuate rack 29 which is. concentric with thepivot 18 and is Thus normally in mesh with the pinion 21,

' movement of thelever 19 or the lever 26 in a f desired direction will cause movement of tionfwill lower the rear edgefof the aileron said lever 26 is connected as the Yother vlever inthe Vopposite direction; f Awiref30..has one end connected to Vthe lever 26V above the pivot and its opposite vend n' "connected to the rod or-arm 7 of that aileron 6 which' is on the opposite side of the fuse- 19is connected. A wire 31 has one end connected to-"the lever26 below the pivot and its Vopposite endconnected to the lower endV of therod or arm 7 tothe upper end of .whichA .the wirev 3 0 is connected.

ofi the* lever 26 in one direction will raiseV the irear edge of the aileron .6, and movement of the lever 26 in the opposite direc- 6 with which described.

Y Because of ther'gear connection between the'leversv19 and A26 the aileron at one side AVoit'the'fuselage will'be lowered. when the aileron on the opposite side of the fuselage israised, and vice versa, Vand this operation ThusV movement is maintained as long as thekitwo levers 19 and l26l arein meshV with the pinion 21.

` l'iiowex/"er, on'some occasions itmay Ybe desired to operate one aileron without Aoperatthe other, or it may be desired to raise or to lower Yboth Vailerons concurrently,

Thisinay be effected by disconnecting/,the lever 26 from the pinion21,'leaving the two levers free. for independent joperation, or concurrent operation Vas desired. i v

VThe leveri26 is normally'retainediin position Ytojfllold VvthefracliV 29 in YYmesh with the pinion 21;1The' lever 26 .supports an arm the pinion V21. 1' However, if. the upper end ofthe lever 26 be pushed ytoward the .lever having'ahole therein through whicha- 1 rod 33 extends. yThe loweriend .ofthe rod 19,the"lower end oftlie rodz33 leaves the i'ecess in which it is normally. seated and engages withinanotherrecess .311, thus latcli- 'v ingthelever 26 in adjusted position'in whichy the rack V29V isout of mesh withtlie pinion This ratchet-device, comprisingV Y' manner as byy as'pring 35 yencircling' thev rod and actuating .it downwardly. The lrodm'ay lbe raised *.outlof `enga'gement' withV the irecesses in the support 17by a, lever device`36 of the arm 37 the Yopposite 4end of saidfwirej being connected to the other end of- .thel rod 37. 39 fandaround jaA manipulative *wheel 40 whichin the formfshown lis supported by 'the-lever 26; Thus, by turning` the wheel Y l0 the rudder. 13 may bey swungV4 to ,diiferent steer the airplane in its hririzontal.- movementsy.

A wire 38 passes over or againstrollers ioo The` 'aileronsV 11 also be' manipulated Y by wires 111 extending from theY lower endsY of the rods or arms V12 to. thefends of the Vrod V18. The wires e411 passi'againstf-rollers 42. Thus byLro'clring the'member17 the v wires-41 Lwill: be moved as required tojraise'V or to lower the rear edges ofthe y'ailerons'lL A' wireA3 passing'against;rollers 441 connects the upperfendsof the `rods 12,.but permits movement; thereof; as required to manipulatethe'ailerons, A;

which-*support'j' the propeller and other mechanism out of Contact withzthei groundV when the machine lands. Y

From-the foregoing itwill"be.understood that .my improved airplane possesses vnumerousadvantages which are the result. of

the novel construction shown and described. The greater weight is supported adjacent to the large planes, leaving the forward end of the lmachine relatively light and easy to manipulate.

It is apparent that the specific construction of the manipulating devices and other parts of the invention may be varied without departure from the principle of the invention. Therefore, I do not restrict myself to unessential features of construction or arrangement, but what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

l. An airplane, comprising a long body, a single wing having a relatively small supporting surface at the forward end of the body, a pair of wings at the rear end of the body one above the other and having supporting surfaces largely in excess of the supporting surface of the wing at the forward end of the body, ailerons in connection with one of said large wings, mechanism for 1nanipulating and controlling said ailerons, a motor supported by the body between said large wings, and a propeller in front of the small wing driven by said motor.

2. An airplane, comprising a long body, a single small wing supported by the body near the forward end thereof, ailerons in connection with said wing, a pair of wings at the rear end of the body at relatively a considerable distance from the small wing, arranged one above the other and having greater length and width and greater supporting surfaces than the wing at the forward end of the body, ailerons in connection with one of said last-named wings, mechanism for manipulating the ailerons on said wings respectively, a motor supported by the body between said large wings,a shaft from said motor extending forwardly beyond the small wing, and a propeller driven by said shaft in front of the small wing.

3. An airplane, comprising a long body, a single small wing supported by the body near the forward end thereof, ailerons in connection with said wing, a pair of wings at the rear end of the body at relatively a considerable distance from the small wing, arranged one above the other and having greater length and width and greater supporting surfaces than the wing at the forward end of the body, ailerons in connection with one of said last-named wings, mechanism for manipulating the ailerons on said wings respectively, a rudder at the forward end of the body vertically below the lon itudinal axis of the body for controlling t e airplane in its lateral movements, a motor supported by the body between said large wings, a shaft from said motor extending forwardly beyond the small wing, and a propeller driven by said 'shaft in front of the small wing. Y

4. An airplane, comprising a long body, a single small wing supported by the body near the forward end thereof, ailerons in connection with said wing, a pair of wings at the rear end of the body at relatively a considerable distance from the small wing, arranged one above the other and having greater length and width and greater supporting surfaces than the wing at the forward end of the body, ailerons in connection with one of said last-named wings, mechanism for manipulating the ailerons on said wings respectivelyr` a landing gear in connection with the bod of the airplane, a motor supported by tlde body between said large wings, a shaft from said motor extending forwardly beyond the small wing, and a propeller driven by said shaft in front of the small wing.

5. An airplane, comprisin a long body, a single small wing at the orward end of the body, a pair of large wings at the rear end of the body, a motor between said large wings near the rear end of the body, a ropeller at the forward end of the body driven by said motor, a rudder at the forward end and vertically below the longitudinal axis of the body, and means for operating said rudder to control the airplane in its lateral movements.

JOHN TANEYHILL. 

